Making the Grade
by kaydeeshay
Summary: Drake is struggling with his latest poetry assignment, but at least he's thinking about it; Mindy hasn't had the opportunity. She's more worried about Josh, because after being partnered with Kathy in history, it seems like he might be failing in love.
1. F for Freak Out

**A/N: Probably not that many people will read this, considering the fandom is basically dead. On the off chance anyone does, I hope you enjoy! I absolutely adore Josh and Mindy and had a blast writing it. Thanks to Carrie for glancing over this beforehand!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Drake and Josh. All rights go to Dan the man! The character Kathy is from the episode "First Crush," if you remember that one.**

* * *

 **Monday:**

The English classroom at Belleview High was filled with a loud, obnoxious hum. Ms. Hayfer rubbed her temples, then glared at Drake in disdain. The overall chattering of the students was overwhelming, but she was particularly annoyed that she couldn't ruin his fun by putting an end to the conversation he was having with Josh until the tardy bell rang. Finally, it sounded. She leapt to her feet. "Alright, everyone. Quiet! I certainly hope you read the poems I assigned last night, because there's a pop quiz."

The class groaned. She passed out the papers with a smile, but it vanished once she came to Drake's desk. "I hate you."

He took the sheet of paper and reached down into his backpack for a pencil, scrunching his nose in disgust. "I know."

Drake finished his quiz in record time. He had aced it for once. What Ms. Hayfer would be surprised to find (as well as Drake himself) was that he didn't entirely loathe poetry; he could only assume it was the musician in him, considering that songs were symbolic of poems.

Once the quizzes had been turned in, Ms. Hayfer stood up from her desk. "I hope that was as much fun for you as it was for me. As I said earlier, I hope you have been paying attention, because on top of that, it's now time for your next assignment."

The class chorused another groan.

"Now, now. None of that. Hopefully this will be fun. At the very least, it will allow you to boost your creativity. I want you to write your own poem. The length and subject are entirely up to you, within reason. You cannot write two sentences about a cat wearing a hat and expect a decent grade. Other than that, go anywhere you want to! Be expressive. Be free! It will be due on Friday. Worth one-hundred points. Best of luck!"

Drake ignored her brief lecture about the poems they had read the night before, pondering the subject of his poem for the last fifteen minutes of class. He had been hoping the idea would come easily, but it wasn't looking that way.

The harsh alarm of the bell broke into his thoughts. He picked up his things and raced out into the hall to meet Josh. "Hey, do you have a topic for your poem yet?"

His brother grinned. "As a matter of fact, I do."

Drake couldn't help it; he rolled his eyes. _Figures._ "And what would it be?"

"Sorry, I can't tell you. It's a secret."

"C'mon, man," he pleaded. "I'm curious. I can't think of anything for mine."

Josh's lips curled up in surprise. "You mean to tell me you've been thinking about it?"

Drake raised his hands defensively. "Believe me, no one is more shocked than I am. The thing is, I don't mind this poetry stuff, so I was hoping writing a poem would be a breeze. So far, no luck."

Josh gave a casual shrug. "It's not due until the end of the week. Give it time. I'm sure you'll come up with something."

"What are you two talking about?" Mindy Crenshaw asked as she walked up, giving Josh a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Drake's worried about our English assignment," Josh explained.

Mindy's eyes widened; she turned in Drake's direction, giving him a skeptical raise of her eyebrows. "You mean to tell me he's been thinking about it already?"

"Not that it's any of your business," Drake began, his tone icy, "but as a matter of fact, I have."

"Let me guess... it's about bad grades. No one knows more about that than you."

Drake's eyes slanted. "Overachiever."

"Diphthong."

"HA!" Drake exclaimed, pointing at her in amusement. "That's not even a word."

"Actually, it is. It's the sound formed by a combination of two vowels in a single syllable, where the sound begins as one vowel and moves into the next. Then again, I wouldn't expect you to know that," she jeered.

Drake rolled his eyes, unfazed. Sometimes he couldn't help wondering if Mindy made this stuff up to make herself seem smarter. He would be sure to look it up when he got home. "Whatever you say, chiz whiz."

Mindy was about to retaliate, but as she opened her mouth, a bright voice interrupted. "Hey, Josh!"

The brunette boy turned to see Kathy Eakin standing there. She pushed a long, shiny strand of red hair out of her eyes and gave him a warm smile. "Are we still on for tonight?"

He smiled back. "Sure."

Mindy shot him a curious look. "What's tonight?"

"Oh, we have a big history fair project coming up. We're partners. Kathy's coming over and we're going to get started on it. You know what they say, there's no time like the present."

His girlfriend gave him an understanding nod, and he squeezed her hand. Josh wasn't sure if he had ever expressed it, but one of the things that he liked most about her was that she didn't get jealous like some other girls who were in a relationship.

The warning bell rang, and the hallway swarmed with teenagers scattering off to their next class.

After pondering it throughout the rest of the day, later that afternoon, Drake was discouraged to find that he still had no idea what the subject of his poem should be. With his mind racing as he entered the back door, he rushed to the refrigerator to grab a soda. He reached out across the counter, grabbing the bag of cheese curls that was sitting there. _No one ever got truly inspired on an empty stomach,_ he thought as he crunched on them. _Man, these things are good._

Josh stormed into the kitchen, his stare shooting daggers through Drake. "Thanks for slamming the door in front of my face when I was right behind you."

His brother responded with a cheeky grin. "No problem."

Josh shook his head in disbelief as he opened the refrigerator, reaching for his own drink. "Did you come up with an idea for your poem yet?"

Drake ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "No, and I've been thinking about it nonstop."

"You know what I heard the best advice is? Write about what you know. That's what I'm doing," Josh prompted, taking a sip of his cola.

"Well, there you go," Megan purred as she waltzed into the kitchen with Mindy right behind her. "That's why he's having so much trouble. He doesn't know anything."

Mindy gave the tiny brunette a high-five. "Couldn't have said it better myself."

Drake glared at them menacingly, crossing his arms over his chest. "Megan, what did I tell you about letting wild animals in the house?"

His sister peered up at Mindy with an exaggerated adoration. "But she's cute. I want to keep her."

Mindy ruffled her hair playfully.

"So do I," Josh chimed in, walking up behind Mindy and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Traitors!" Drake wailed, bursting out of the kitchen and into the living room.

Josh unwrapped his arms from around Mindy's waist, turning her to face him. "Not that I'm unhappy to see you, but what are you doing here? I told you Kathy and I have to work on our project tonight."

"I know, but I figured we could hang out for at least a little bit before she got here."

He frowned. "I wish we could, but I've got a ton of homework. By the time I finish it, I'm sure she'll be here."

Mindy was unable to hide the disappointment in her tone. "Oh." She tried to manage a small smile. "That's okay. I'll go. Maybe tomorrow?"

Josh smiled. "Of course."

She reached out, wrapping her arms around him tightly, and he reciprocated. She smiled and waved goodbye, feeling a tad bit better as she made her way out the door.

* * *

 **Tuesday:**

The next morning, Josh was standing by Mindy's locker, shooting her a big grin as she approached him. He held out a white paper bag. "I got you breakfast!"

Mindy gasped dramatically. "You didn't."

"I did."

She took the white sack from him and opened it; her brown eyes sparkled in delight. "Strawberry jelly filled doughnut. My favorite." She closed the bag and jabbed him jokingly with her elbow. "Who's the best boyfriend ever?"

His cheeks turned the lightest tinge of pink, and he looked down at the ground timidly. "I am."

She leaned up to give him a kiss on the cheek. "So, how did the history project go last night?"

"Not as well as we hoped. It took forever to decide on a topic. When we finally did, it was so late that we didn't get anything done. Luckily, there's still plenty of time. Kathy's coming back over tonight."

She frowned. "But I thought we were going to hang out this afternoon."

Josh flashed her an apologetic smile. "I know. I'm really sorry. But, tonight we're going to start the project and get a lot done. No goofing around. I have so much to do already. There are two killer exams coming up: one for chemisty and one for trigonometry; plus, my English poem that I need to write."

"Oh, yeah." Mindy recalled, thinking of how she needed to start on her own. "What are you writing about?"

"I can't tell you. It's personal."

Mindy forced a smile in attempt to cover the way her heart was sinking on the inside. _Since when did we stop telling each other everything?_

She was thankful when their conversation was interrupted by the warning bell. She knew if they kept talking, Josh would catch on to the fact that something was wrong, and she didn't want to talk about it. She felt ridiculous enough about being upset in the first place. School was important to both of them; she couldn't expect Josh to drop his studies for her. Still, it would be hard not to see him for two days in a row.

 _Ugh, I'm becoming part of one of_ those _couples,_ she scolded herself with a smile. _You'll be fine without him for a little while, Crenshaw. Suck it up._

* * *

 **Wednesday:**

Bright and early the next day, Mindy slammed her locker shut after grabbing her Earth science textbook, waiting in anticipation for Josh to arrive. They typically met up before class started, but when the warning bell rang, it was obvious he wasn't coming. She dashed across the building. _Don't want to be late,_ she thought with a frown. _Guess I'll see him at lunch._

Except she didn't.

After waiting the entire lunch period for him to show up, she trudged to the trash can and put her tray away, giving the lunch lady a thank you and half-hearted smile. _I hope he's not sick or something. This isn't like him._

After school, she drove to his house and knocked on the door, waiting patiently for someone to answer. Unfortunately, it was Drake. "Oh, it's you," he commented with a sneer. "Josh, your girlfriend's here." He stepped back while Mindy stepped inside.

Josh looked up from his notebook, beaming when he saw her. "Hey!"

"Hi," she said, trying to sound cheerful. "I missed you this morning. At lunch, too. What happened?"

"Oh, yeah, sorry about that." he commented, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "I overslept and barely made the first bell. At lunch, Kathy and I had to meet up to discuss some last minute things before she comes over to work on our history project. I would have texted you, but I was in such a rush before I left that I forgot my phone."

Josh's last comment went unheard due to the previous one; Mindy creased her forehead in confusion. "She's coming over again? I thought you worked on it last night."

Josh smiled. "We did, but we're not quite done yet. It's really coming together, though. Very elaborate."

She gave him a small smile, her voice quiet. "I'm sure it's great."

Josh's gaze softened, a wave of concern washing over his face. "Is something wrong?"

She shook her head vigorously. "No, no. It's just... I was hoping we'd be able to spend some time together. As lame as it sounds, I kind of miss you."

He grinned broadly and gave her hand a gentle squeeze, but remained silent.

 _He's not even going to say it back._ She cleared her throat, trying to think of something... _anything_... to say to get rid of the awkward silence. "What are you working on?" She nodded in the direction of the notebook he had been scrawling on when she walked in. "More history fair stuff?"

"No, that's my poem for English class."

"Can I see?" she asked eagerly, walking toward it.

"NO!" he screeched, holding out his hand to stop her.

She jolted back in alarm at his sharp tone.

He lowered his voice. "Sorry. I told you, it's private."

She gave him a shrug. "I don't understand what all the secrecy is about, but okay. I respect your feelings."

He flashed her a smile. "Thanks." He checked his watch and frowned. "I hate to say it, but Kathy will be here any minute."

"Yeah, I should probably go," she agreed, heading in the direction of the door.

"I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Sure."

As Mindy walked out, she couldn't ignore how she wasn't exactly feeling better this time, or the fact that the person who happened to be his partner for the history fair was his first crush.

* * *

"If I don't think of something for my poem soon, I'm going to fail this assignment!" Drake yelled later that night, his tone bubbling with pure panic.

Josh yawned and turned to face him, leaning up against the wall. "You still got nothing?"

"Nothing!" He took a deep breath, exhaling heavily. "NOTHING!"

In spite of how tired he was, Josh couldn't help cracking a smile. Normally, it would be himself freaking out while Drake remained calm, cool, and collected. "I told you already, write about what you know."

"What part of 'that advice isn't helping' don't you understand?" Drake countered.

His brother raised his shoulders apologetically. "It's all I've got. I can't be freaking out over your homework. I've got enough of my own."

"Another late night with Kathy?"

"Yes, and as much I told myself we weren't going to goof off, we still did. Enough that she's coming over again tomorrow night. After that, it should be finished. Luckily, my trig test is out of the way as of tomorrow. Then I have to study for my chemistry test and work on my poem."

Drake grumbled. "Don't remind me."

* * *

 **A/N: I've decided to make this two parts. The next part is written and ready to go! If I get feedback, I might upload faster. It's always encouraging! Reviews and favorites make my day. To those who read, I hope you enjoyed this! xoxo - Krys**


	2. D for Disgusting

**A/N: Time for part 2! For those who happen to follow me, sorry for you getting notifications in your e-mail twice! I ended up re-uploading due to some technical difficulties (also known as the author doesn't know what they're doing!) Now on with the story.**

* * *

The next morning, Mindy was happy to see Josh standing by his locker. She skipped over with a broad smile, but upon inspection of the dark circles under his eyes, it disappeared. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Really tired, but I'm fine."

 _ **BRRRRING.**_

"Uh-oh. Time for my trig test. Wish me luck!" he called, racing down the hall.

"Good luck," Mindy muttered, watching him disappear from view. She let out a sigh.

Drake clucked his tongue. "I feel bad for him. My brother's got a lot on his plate. I'm telling you, there is no good that comes from caring about school."

"He looks really tired," Mindy agreed. "He should get some sleep."

"Not going to happen. He still has a lot of work to do, including that stupid poem and finishing his history fair project."

Mindy's eyes widened in terror. "He's not done with it?"

"Nope. Kathy's coming over again tonight." He noticed the horrified expression that crossed Mindy's face, his brown eyes gleaming mischievously. "They were up all night, laughing and goofing off. They make great study buddies, don't they?"

There was no answer. She was too busy rushing down the hall to her next class in an attempt to keep from crying. _Drake's trying to get to you_ , she told herself. _Talk to Josh about it._

Later that day, Mindy scanned the cafeteria. She found him where she hoped she would, sitting in their favorite spot. "How did your test go?" she inquired, taking the seat in front of him and plopping down her tray.

He yawned and rubbed his eyes. "I think okay."

"So, Drake tells me you didn't quite get the history fair project done."

He shook his head. "Kathy's coming over tonight so we can finish it once and for all."

Mindy couldn't help it; she felt her anger rising. "Guess you won't be able to hang out after all," she snapped.

Josh raised his eyebrows. "Is someone jealous?"

"No, but you can let Kathy know I'd like to have my boyfriend back at any time."

Josh let out a frustrated sigh. "Mindy, I'm really tired, okay? I'm not exactly in the mood to talk about this right now."

"Maybe if you hadn't been up all night working with Kathy, you would be."

He bristled at her tone. "And maybe someone is lying about being jealous. I'm warning you, I'm not having this conversation."

A scowl formed across her face. "Then I guess it's done." She picked up her tray and stormed across the cafeteria. After tossing her food into the trash, she marched out into the hallway, shaking her head sadly. Drake's words about Kathy and Josh being study buddies echoed through her mind.

 _He liked her way before me; she was his first real crush, and I basically tortured him before we got together. No wonder he'd rather spend time with her._ Suddenly, an even more horrifying thought entered her mind. _**Does**_ _he care about me? When I told him I loved him, he slammed the door in my face. Not once has he said it back, even after we got back together. Maybe he regrets giving me a second chance._

Her head swam in confusion. Aside from the way he had been acting lately, Mindy realized there was something else bothering her: it hurt her feelings that Josh had accused her of being jealous, but she was starting to wonder if it were the truth.

She heaved a sigh. Their fight loomed like a dark cloud over her head all day, leaving her unable to concentrate in the rest of her classes. _He's right. I'm jealous, and I'm over-thinking this. I need to apologize._

She waited a couple of hours after school and made the drive to his house. She rang the doorbell. A few seconds later, it swung open. "Hey, Megs. Is Josh around?"

The tiny girl motioned for her to step inside. "Yeah, he went upstairs to get his chemistry book, I think. He's been working on that history fair project all afternoon. They finally finished it. Have a seat on the couch while you wait. I'd love to stay and chat, but I have my own homework."

Mindy nodded in understanding, waving goodbye as Megan stomped upstairs. Taking a seat on the couch, she peered at the coffee table. There was a blue spiral notebook lying on top: Josh's English notebook. Curiosity bubbled inside her as she recalled his secret poem was sitting inside it, itching to be read. She snatched the notebook and opened it, cautiously keeping watch toward the stairs to make sure there was no sign of him.

She flipped through it, trying to find the poem. At last, she came across the page and started to read:

 **So unsure about the way things are with you**

 **Always fighting**

 **Words are biting**

 **And you don't have a clue**

 **How much you drive me insane**

 **Completely out of my mind**

 **I should not put up with it**

 **Constantly wonder why I do**

Mindy felt a lump form in her throat, her eyes filling with tears as she felt her heart fall to her stomach. _It's about me. I was right. He doesn't love me._

She heard footsteps coming down the stairs, hands waving wildly as she scrambled to put the notebook back.

Josh gave her a meek smile and timid wave. "Hi. Megan told me you were here. Listen, we need to talk..."

"I disagree. There's no need." She darted toward the door, reaching for the doorknob as fast as she could so he wouldn't see the tears streaming down her face. "I came to tell you we're through. I'll be back in a little while to return your stuff."

With that, she slammed the door and raced to the car, her chest heaving with sobs the entire way.

* * *

Mindy gently placed the toy shark Josh had given her into a cardboard box. She had hoped packing the things he gave her would be therapeutic, but her heart only broke more with each item she put in it.

 _He doesn't want you,_ she reminded herself, taking a shaky breath. _The worst part is, as bad as this hurts, I still love him_ _ **.**_

She let out a sigh as she tossed a mixed CD of songs into the box, letting her eyes wander around the room. _I think that's everything_.

She picked up the heavy box, lugging it breathlessly to the car. After starting the engine, placing her foot on the gas and hands on the steering wheel, she began the short drive to Josh's. She was thankful that it was brief because it mainly consisted of changing the radio station every ten seconds. _Seriously? Is it National Love Song Day or something?_ She hit the black volume knob to turn it off entirely.

After pulling into the driveway, she got out of the car and grabbed the box, the cardboard banging against her knee as she walked up the steps. She rang the doorbell and waited for an answer.

"Coming!" she heard Megan's voice call. "Oh, hey, Mindy." she greeted, gesturing for her to come in with a bright smile as the door swung open.

"Hey. Is Josh here?"

Megan's gaze darted across the room, her eyes wandering to where Mindy had been sitting on the couch a few minutes before. "Hold on. I'm having a moment. This is total _deja vu._ " Mindy let out a laugh, and Megan followed suit before continuing. "Yeah, he's still upstairs. What's in the box?"

"The things he gave me," Mindy replied softly.

"Why would you be returning your stuff?"

"I broke up with him"

Megan's jaw went slack. "Wait, what? Why?"

"Because he wants to."

Megan shook her head, crinkles appearing in her forehead as she furrowed her eyebrows. "You lost me."

"I read a poem he wrote about me for English class. Let's just say it wasn't good."

The little girl scratched her head. "So it's over? Just like that? Did you even talk to him?" It was clear to Mindy that she wasn't dealing well with this.

"Why bother? I read what I read. To be honest, I think working on this project has brought back his feelings for Kathy."

"I don't know," Megan responded in some tone of frustration. "I mean, yeah, every time Kathy was over here, they seemed to be having fun, but I guess as lame as he is I always thought he cared about _you_."

Mindy managed a small smile. "That's nice of you to say, Meg, but sometimes things aren't always the way they seem."

"You're not even going to fight for him? That doesn't seem like you."

The heartbroken girl shrugged her shoulders in defeat. "I want him to be happy. Even if it's not with me. Even though this is basically killing me on the inside, and so help me, if you ever repeat that to him I'll kill you on the outside. Got it?"

Megan let out a tiny laugh. "Got it. I'll still see you around, right?"

Mindy shrugged again. "It will take a while for me to get comfortable with being around him as just friends, but if I ever do, maybe. I make no promises, though."

The brunette tween let out an exasperated sigh. "This sucks. You're the coolest girlfriend he's ever had. I like talking to you."

Mindy placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You'll get over it and live. I am not discussing my love life with a twelve-year-old."

"See?!" the troublemaker declared while Mindy started walking up the stairs. "That's what I like about you!"

Mindy let out a laugh, but it faded as she realized she was in front of Josh's bedroom door. She took a deep breath and licked her lips, her heart pounding so loudly that she was sure he could hear it from inside. _Come on. You can do this._

She raised her hand, giving a soft knock as she tried to balance the box on her knee. Two seconds later, the door flew open. She entered the room without bothering to look at him. "I'm here to drop off your stuff like I said I would." Placing the box on the floor hastily, she tucked a strand of deep-brown hair behind her ear as she stood up. "Pretty sure that's everything, so I guess I'll see you around."

Her feet made a mad dash for the door, but they didn't get far before Josh grabbed her around the wrist. "Wait a minute. Will you talk to me? Please?"

"What's there to talk about?" she retorted, placing her hands on her hips and tilting her head to the side.

"The fact that I know why you're breaking up with me."

"Oh, do you?"

"Yes. I saw my English notebook on the table and put two and two together. Well, that, and I overheard you talking to Megan downstairs," he confessed sheepishly. "What, are you two like a tag-team now? Cause I've got to tell you, that idea kind of scares me."

Mindy glared at him, her nostrils beginning to flare. She threw up her hands. "Go ahead! Turn this into a joke like you always do."

"Oh-ho-ho-ho, no, you didn't!" Josh shrieked, his arms flailing wildly. "If anyone here has the right to be upset, it's _me_."

Mindy's expression turned smug. "What on earth gives you that idea?"

"The fact that you read my poem when I asked you not to and think I want to get together with Kathy when I'm _your_ boyfriend, that's what!"

"I don't _think_ you want to get together with her, I _know_ you do! The poem said how you feel about me loud and clear. Drake told me how chummy you guys have been lately, working on your dumb project. You think I want this, Josh? This is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Even harder than telling you I had feelings for you..." Unwillingly, her eyes began filling with tears again. Worse than that, they began to fall and she couldn't stop them.

It wasn't until that moment that Josh realized how upset she truly was. In all the time they had been dating, he had never seen her cry. "Mindy," he stated in a whisper. "Hey, I'm sorry, okay?" He walked toward her and wrapped his arms around her.

She tried desperately not to return his embrace, but the familiar feeling of his arms around her was more than she could handle. Slowly, she wrapped her arms around him, still crying as she buried her head into his chest.

"I didn't mean to upset you," he stated hoarsely, rubbing her back. "Sit down. Let's talk."

He took her hand, relieved to see that she didn't let go. He led her toward the couch, both of them taking a seat. "I do not want to be with Kathy," he informed her in a whisper, tilting her chin up to force her to meet his gaze.

"Josh, you don't have to lie to me to-"

"MINDY!" His wide eyes threatened her to interrupt him again.

"Sorry," she mumbled, throwing her hands up in surrender.

He turned away, reaching for something behind him. He handed her the notebook. "You didn't read the whole thing."

She carefully opened it, turning to the page of the poem. She looked up at him, the fear evident in her eyes. He nodded in encouragement. She started to read out loud:

 _ **So unsure about the way things are with you**_

 _ **Always fighting**_

 _ **Words are biting**_

 _ **And you don't have a clue**_

 _ **How much you drive me insane**_

 _ **Completely out of my mind**_

 _ **I should not put up with it**_

 _ **Constantly wonder why I do**_

 _ **Then I recall how things would be**_

 _ **If you weren't in my life**_

 _ **And every argument becomes the key**_

 _ **Of why I attempt to try**_

She peered up at Josh with a small smile, then continued reading.

 _ **It's no fun if you aren't here**_

 _ **I've tried to let you go**_

 _ **That didn't work and you're still around**_

 _ **So there's something you should know**_

 _ **Its hard for me to express myself**_

 _ **And words, they tend to fail**_

 _ **But I care more than I want to admit**_

 _ **More than you can ever tell**_

She felt more tears welling up in her eyes and blinked them back. She cleared her throat and continued.

 _ **No matter what the future holds that feeling will stay true**_

 _ **Because the main thing that I'm trying to say is**_

 _ **I'm in love with you**_

Her breath hitched reading the last line, and she peered up at him again, not bothering to stop the tears this time. "I don't know what to say," she whispered.

"You don't have to say anything," Josh whispered back, wiping a tear away with his thumb. "Listen, I know throughout our relationship, I haven't exactly been the best at expressing my feelings. In my defense, I wasn't sure how I felt then. I'm sure now. I love you. I'm _in_ love with you."

 _Did he really just say that?_ _Out loud?_ she wondered, placing a hand over her heart. From the way it was pounding, she had her answer.

He took her hand and began caressing her thumb with his own. "We may not have gotten together the way typical couples do. We may fight, but there's no one else I'd rather fight with. When we broke up and tried dating other people, I kept wishing those girls were you. I tried to move on, but there was something missing. It took all those dates for me to realize that what I wanted was right in front of me. Literally."

Mindy wrapped her arms around him and squeezed tightly, laying her chin on his shoulder. "I love you, too." she whispered into his ear as he hugged her back. "You have no idea how much. I'm sorry I read your poem and got so jealous."

They pulled apart, and a sad expression crossed his face. "It really hurts that you didn't trust me."

Mindy let out a sigh and stood up, wiping her eyes. "I know, I know. But honestly, Josh, what did you expect me to think when I read that? I was so afraid I was going to lose you."

"Why?"

She began pacing across the floor and gave a tiny shrug. "Drake told me how much fun you and Kathy seemed to be having and it put all this stuff in my head. She's pretty, she seems sweet, and she _**was**_ your first crush..."

"She's also not you," Josh interrupted.

Mindy stopped pacing, not expecting that particular response. She let out a light laugh. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

Josh got up from the couch and walked toward her, taking her hand in his. "Definitely a good thing," he murmured. His brown eyes softened while peering into hers, and he brushed a strand of hair away from her face. "I don't ever want you to doubt how I feel about you."

The look in his eyes caused her heart rate to increase, and she smiled up at him timidly. "I won't. Not anymore."

She knew the moment the words left her lips that it was true, too. He'd finally told her he returned her feelings. No jokes. No teasing. That was unusual for him, and she knew it had taken a lot of courage because she had been there herself.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. He leaned down to kiss her, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss.

"Ugh, make me hurl," a familiar voice called from outside the door.

Josh and Mindy broke apart, looking in the direction of the hall with expressions of annoyance. They both headed toward the door and opened it from where it was slightly ajar to discover that Drake was not alone.

Megan turned to him, her eyes flashing in anger. "Thanks a lot, you big dummy!" she hissed, smacking him upside the head. "Remind me never to ask you to be my partner in crime. _Ever. Again."_

"Sorry," he apologized. "I couldn't take anymore. You two are disgusting, you know that?" He looked up at Josh as his brother held out a hand to help him up.

Megan's eyes sparkled, a mischievious smile playing across her lips. "You're just upset because you owe me ten bucks. They're still together. Pay up!"

Drake heaved an irritated sigh, slapping a wad of cash into her eagerly awaiting palm.

Josh's jaw went slack. "You made a bet on whether or not we would break up?"

Megan smiled. "Yeah. Best idea ever."

"No, it wasn't." Drake grumbled.

"You wouldn't be saying that if you'd won," Megan countered.

Drake rolled his eyes. "Probably. Your point?"

"The point is that making the bet was wrong in the first place!" Josh yelled, poking Drake in the chest with his index finger. "WRONG!"

Drake shook his head furiously, waving off his comment. "No, no. That's not it. The point is that you guys gave me a topic for my poem."

Mindy and Josh shot each other curious looks.

"You said write about what you know, right? The one thing everyone knows about is love! It got me thinking... what do _I_ love? The title and topic of my poem will be... are you ready for this?" He flourished an arc in the air with his hands. " _Things I Love: Girls and Cheese Curls."_

Josh, Mindy, and Megan stared at him blankly.

"Oh, come on!" he cried. "It's brilliant!"

"Uh-huh," Megan stated in monotone, slapping him on the shoulder. "Let's get out of here and let these two finish talking."

"Excuse me, but this is _my_ room. I can stay as long as I'd like."

Megan grabbed his arm, giving it a sharp twist behind his back. "YOW! Okay, okay. I'm leaving," he wailed on their way out the door.

"Say you're team Mindy," she threatened.

"Never."

She twisted his arm again.

"OKAY, OKAY! I'M TEAM MINDY!"

Mindy and Josh both laughed, re-taking their seat on the couch. Mindy rested her head on his chest as Josh wrapped his arms around her waist protectively.

"You know," he stated after a moment of silence. "I think we learned a valuable lesson from all this. I want us to make each other a promise."

"What's that?" she asked curiously, gazing up at him with a smile.

"We work on communicating with each other. The next time you feel jealous or threatened, talk to me about it first instead of breaking up with me. In return, I'll try to be more open about my feelings. Okay?"

Mindy nodded, nuzzling into his neck. "I promise," she whispered. As he kissed her forehead, she knew she would have no trouble keeping that promise. Not after today.

* * *

 **I hope all future readers and Drake & Josh and/or Jindy fans enjoyed this! As I said before, I had a blast writing it. Josh and Mindy are hands down one of my all time favorite couples. I wish there were more people out there who loved them as much as I do! Out of all the pairings created by Dan (who are equally amazing, in my humble opinion) I feel these are the two who don't get enough credit. Feel free to review and favorite if you wish! Who knows? There might be more stories that include these two written by me in the future. Until next time! XoXo - Krys**


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